1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic component manufacturing apparatuses and electronic component manufacturing methods used, for example, to apply conductive paste to a plurality of end faces of electronic component chips. In particular, the present invention relates to an electronic component manufacturing apparatus in which electronic component chips are held between a pair of opposite plates and turned by relatively moving the pair of plates, and also relates to an electronic component manufacturing method using the electronic component manufacturing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electronic component, such as a monolithic capacitor, electrodes are formed on a plurality of surfaces of an electronic component chip. As examples of electrode forming methods, methods for applying and baking conductive paste have been widely used. For efficient application of conductive paste, a variety of methods have been proposed.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-299145 discloses a method in which electrodes are formed on about four side faces of an electronic component chip having a substantially quadrangular prismatic shape. For application of conductive paste to different side faces of such an electronic component chip, this method uses an electronic component manufacturing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 10.
In an electronic component manufacturing apparatus 1001 illustrated in FIG. 10, an elastic material layer 1003 is formed on a lower surface of a retaining plate 1002. A holder plate 1004 is disposed below the retaining plate 1002. The holder plate 1004 is made of elastic material and provided with a through hole 1004a. An electronic component chip 1005 is press-fitted into and held in the through hole 1004a. 
As illustrated in FIG. 10, the electronic component chip 1005 is held between the elastic material layer 1003 and the holder plate 1004. In this state, the retaining plate 1002 is moved, as indicated by an arrow, in a planar direction thereof with respect to the holder plate 1004. As a result, the electronic component chip 1005 is turned and press-fitted into the through hole 1004a of the holder plate 1004. Thus, one side face of the electronic component chip 1005 can be exposed on the upper surface of the holder plate 1004. This facilitates application of conductive paste to the exposed side face of the electronic component chip 1005.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-299145 states that electrodes can be formed on about four side faces of the electronic component chip 1005 by repeating the step of turning the electronic component chip 1005 using the retaining plate 1002 and the holder plate 1004.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-141145 discloses a technique which also involves turning an electronic component chip. In the technique disclosed in this document, one side face of an electronic component chip is held to an adhesive surface of a first elastic member by adhesive force. In this state, a paste layer is formed on the other side face of the electronic component chip. Then, a second elastic member having a non-adhesive surface is pressed into contact with the electronic component chip and slid in a planar direction thereof with respect to the first elastic member. This allows the electronic component chip to be turned about 180 degrees. After the electronic component chip is turned about 180 degrees, the other side face of the electronic component chip is held to the adhesive surface of the first elastic member. Thus, a paste layer can be formed on the one side face of the electronic component chip.
In the electronic component manufacturing apparatus described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-299145, the electronic component chip 1005 is turned about 90 degrees and press-fitted into the through hole 1004a of the holder plate 1004. This means that for application of paste to another side face, the electronic component chip 1005 needs to be taken out of the through hole 1004a and turned again.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-141145 describes the fact that an electronic component chip is turned about 180 degrees for application of electrode paste to opposite side faces of the electronic component chip. However, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-141145 does not describe in detail any specific method or apparatus for turning the electronic component chip.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-141145 describes the technique in which electronic component chips are pressed into contact with an elastic member having an adhesive surface. In this technique, as the size of the electronic component chips decreases, it becomes difficult to accurately turn the electronic component chips due to, for example, deformation of the elastic member. Moreover, it is difficult in practice to check whether such small electronic component chips have been properly turned, because of a small distance between elastic members on both sides of the electronic component chips.